


Safe House

by kassywritescrap (freshiewrites), SansyFresh



Category: Undertale (Video Game)
Genre: Angst, Eventual Happy Ending, Found Family, Hurt/Comfort, Implied Sexual Content, Implied/Referenced Character Death, Implied/Referenced Rape/Non-con, M/M, Maybe fluff, Rape/Non-con Elements, You won't see me coming, eventual hurt/comfort, hard angst, implied major character death, minor fluff, twists and turns
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-11-14
Updated: 2020-04-13
Packaged: 2021-01-30 10:15:16
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death, Rape/Non-Con
Chapters: 4
Words: 6,360
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21426553
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/freshiewrites/pseuds/kassywritescrap, https://archiveofourown.org/users/SansyFresh/pseuds/SansyFresh
Summary: Red used to be the top dog, the guy in charge of everything, the very world at his fingertips. The worldfearedhim.So how did he end up here; the back end of a whore house with only the clothes on his back to his name?
Relationships: Papyrus/Papyrus (Undertale), Papyrus/Sans (Undertale)
Comments: 45
Kudos: 74





	1. The Start to All Things

**Author's Note:**

> Mmmm this is gonna be a good one. Strap your seat belts in and get some popcorn cause this is gonna be one wild ride ;)
> 
> Please do read the warnings, this is a pretty dark story.
> 
> AND A BIG SHOUTOUT TO MY DUDETTE LadyPterosaur because she helped me out big time by beta'ing the fic lol
> 
> enjoy ;3

There was the sound of raucous laughter that echoed through the dusty halls of the compound, the noise coming from the stairs that led up to the Mistress’ study. No one went to that dreaded room unless they were losing a limb, an eye, or even their life, and so hearing such loud, angry laughter coming from it that didn’t belong to the Mistress was distressing. Still, any brave soul who might have snuck up on creaky, dusty stairs would have seen the scene of their lifetime.

Edge ‘The Butcher’ Aster, the boss of one of the most powerful gangs in the city, was standing just to the side of the armchair that the Mistress’ guests sat in. The skeleton_ in _ the chair was none other than the brother of Edge himself, Red ‘The Executioner’ Aster. 

And it seemed they were having a very intense conversation with a very nervous looking Muffet, all eight eyes focused intently on the two brothers.

“Now, I can tell you dearies that I have indeed sent my men to scope out your heists, but I have not-”

“You can stop there, Miss Muffet.” Edge said, raising his hand to silence her. If he noticed the incensed way she puffed up at being interrupted, he didn’t show it. “We have the insignias of several of your men who were sent, by you, to attack ours.” He paused, leaning in slightly. “This is unacceptable, yes?”

Muffet was taken aback by his bold claim, and puffed up even further. “Well I see no evidence of this! How do I know you’re not lying, weaving words to make me confess to something I didn’t even do!”

Her ‘righteous’ anger was silenced as Red finally leaned forward himself, gently setting something upside down on her desk. From the shape and make of the leather patch, she knew instantly what it was, a chill running down her spine. She reached out to pick it up, waiting for a moment to glance up at the two skeletons who were waiting ever so patiently for her reaction. Sighing, she turned it over to reveal the pale purple spider with four black dots on its back, signifying one of her kill squad.

“That was from one of your men, who you sent to kill my brother.” Edge said, voice colder than the ice in their tea. Muffet did not shiver at his tone, did not do anything but stare down at the evidence of her guilt. 

“I suppose you’re here to kill me then?” Muffet asked, leaning back in her chair and looking at the both of them. If they’d come to fight, she’d give them one hell of one. She would not die easily at the hands of the Asters, not like some of the wannabe gangsters they had already taken out. Not her. 

“We want ta make a deal.” Red said,shocking Muffet from her thoughts. First, that Red had spoken at all, and then the words as they began to actually make sense to her. They wanted…

“You want to make a _ deal _ . With me. After I sent people to _ kill _you.” She asked, wanting to make sure what the hell she’d heard was really what she’d heard. 

Red’s grin sharpened. “Yeah. We do. See, we’ve got a bit of a problem, a snitch ‘n our ranks. We think you c’n help wit’ that.”

Muffet’s face was slack in shock for a moment, before it devolved into a wide devious smile. “Oh dearie. I’m sure I can.” Sitting up, she took a small bell from the side of her desk, ringing it once before setting it down. “Would either of you like some tea?”

~.~

It was a few hours after the skeleton brothers had left that Muffet looked up to find the one person she’d been expecting today standing before her desk. 

“They’re onto you, you know.” She said simply, taking a sip of the now cooled tea. The other said nothing, simply staring, always just staring. They were unhinged, Muffet knew they were, but if she wanted to get rid of the Aster brothers these were the demons she had to please. 

“I gave him the poison. It should be in affect by midnight.” 

Now that made some form of expression appear on their face, something akin to glee, something not unlike madness, and it was something that made her desire to do anything to get away from this monster so much stronger. 

“Thank you Miss Muffet, for your service.” the other finally said, and that broken, static filled voice never failed to send chills through her body. She nodded, watching as the third Aster brother, the middle one, the one no one knew about, disappeared through the shadow filled doorway, hopefully never to be seen again.

They’d made an agreement, at least. One that she prayed to the stars he kept his part to.

  
  
  


_ Several years later… _

  
  


There was the sound of the bed creaking, specks of dust scattering up as the monster stood, the jingle of a belt buckle and the gentle tap of a gold coin being placed on his bedside table the only things Red could hear from his position on the bed. There were no words spoken, only the sound of heavy boots as the monster left through the solid metal door. There was the loud thump of it shutting, then silence.

The very core of his bones ached as he stood from the bed, the nasty, slimy texture of the fluids on his pelvis and ribs making the feeling so much worse as he stumbled over to his bathroom. It was tiny, most of the room taken up by the bucket of cleaning supplies he was allotted to clean both himself and the room. The bed sheets and blankets were cleaned by one of the workers that weren’t here to whore themselves out, someone always coming by in between clients to replace and take the old, crusty ones. 

He took great care to clean his bones, a few beatings after someone had complained about his cleanliness and Red was terrified of missing even a single speck of cum. He scoured his bones until they stung, until not a single speck of any substance remained. Only then did he check over his ratty lingerie, making sure it was clean enough for the next client before he turned, eyeing the heavy door to his room.

Once upon a time he’d left claw marks on that door, trying to escape. They were still there, under the faint layer of cheap paint, but mostly Red knew where they were out of the memory of putting them there. He’d been desperate to escape, to get out of this place and get revenge on the skeleton he’d once called brother. He still grieved Edge, every day. To think that his baby brother was no longer… it hurt. That Gaster could have betrayed them so thoroughly.

In hindsight they’d been foolish. Haughty and full of themselves, prideful and, in the end, they flew too close to the sun. Gaster was at the top of the food chain now, while Red was in a whorehouse getting fucked every ten minutes, and Edge… Edge was dead. 

Red wished he was dead. Wished nothing more, every day, every minute, every second. Wished that instead of being raped over and over, being fucked until he blacked out in sheer defense, getting beaten within an inch of his life, that Gaster had ordered him to be killed alongside his brother. 

He didn’t get that wish. Never had, probably never would until some monster or human with a big ego didn’t read the signs correctly and grabbed him just a little too hard. 

Maybe it was a bad thing he wished for that day to arrive soon.

He stiffened as a knock sounded at the door, the one that meant another client was on their way and he was to look presentable. Climbing back on his bed, Red settled onto the worn mattress, and wished for nothing more than the sweet release of sleep. 

~.~

Sans sighed heavily as he went through the paperwork one last time, the car trembling a little as Papyrus stepped on the accelerator, the light outside an emerald green. His head was settled against the cool window, the rain outside a soothing noise as he read through less than soothing documents. 

Every single one of them referred to the Aster case, of the gang the brothers had once led, of Edge’s fall and subsequent demise, of the middle brother Gaster taking up the mantle and becoming an even more merciless version of what Edge and Red had ever been. He’d been a bit of a problem for the city ever since Edge’s death, and while Sans and Papyrus had been working to take their gang down for a long ass time, Gaster was building much more of a ruthless empire than Edge had ever aspired to. 

Heists and thefts were at an all time high by those tattooed with the draconic skull with red eyes, and the death toll was at an uncomfortably high level. 

Looking down at the papers in his hands, he wondered, not for the first time, if Red was really the way to go with this case. The once second in command of the elusive gang, someone who had been a thorn in Sans’ side more than once, had been thrown in a brothel against his will, as far as they’d been able to find out. They had snooped around the place enough to know it was an illegal establishment, what with all the people working there as nothing but slaves, even wearing high end magic suppressing collars. 

“You still think we should let him rot.” Papyrus said, his voice flat with the emotion Sans knew was a little disappointment.

Sans shifted in his seat, uncomfortable. “It’s not like he was a good guy, Paps. He’s done a lot of awful shit.”

Papyrus took a moment to check both ways before crossing an intersection , the iron in his voice palpable. “Does that mean he deserves to be treated like a piece of meat to be discarded when he no longer has any use?”

Sans winced, holding back the automatic pun that came to mind, something about the fact that they were skeletons, and therefore couldn’t be a piece of meat anyways. Yeah, something like that.

He was an asshole.

“No…” he answered, voice quiet. He still had reservations about Red’s character and what he might do once he was out, but that didn’t mean the guy deserved what was essentially repeated rape. 

Papyrus didn’t say anything else as they drove, but his approval was, again, very present. 

They needed to talk with Blue and Rus about the plan, if they were going through with it. It’d require several months of work, even with the help of their informant, but Sans thought it was doable. 

As they pulled up to the house, Sans cursed to see the porch light on. Glancing at Papyrus, who looked just as clueless, Sans stepped out of the car as soon as the engine cut. Walking briskly up the walk, plastic binder held over his skull to block the sprinkling rain, he knocked twice on the door, only to nearly step back as it opened instantly. 

Blue stared down at him, unimpressed. “What the fuck took you so long, we’ve got shit to do!”


	2. Promises

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> wooo next chapter! did i mention that LadyPterosaur is betaing this for me and is a lifesaver?? cause she is and i adore her lol
> 
> enjoy ^^
> 
> (Trigger warning for mentions of rape and noncon situations)

“Nice to see ya too, Bluebear.” Sans said, winking as he stepped past a still pissed Blue, dodging the smack swung at the back of his head. He shuffled inside, kicking his shoes off at the door and taking note of the living room before moving on. Heavy curtains, several locks on a thick steel door, reinforced windows with a sturdy lock on every single one of them. 

Moving into the kitchen found more of the same, the backdoor actually a piece of super thick bullet-proof glass. Sans knew from experience nothing was getting through that glass but a steel battering ram, and anyone with one of those was getting seen before they even got that far. Glancing away from the fenced in backyard, the slats pure iron with a triple locked gate and spikes at the tips, he sat at the table, taking one of the steaming cups of coffee and sipping at the contents while he waited for Blue and Papyrus to get in from outside. 

It was a toss-up if Rus would be there for the briefing, the dude was asleep at 9 o’clock sharp every single night and it took a lot of coffee to get him out of bed once he was in it. That was fine, since Blue would retain enough of the valid information to tell the sleepy asshole later about the pertinent stuff, but otherwise Sans kind of wished he’d be there during the meetings. 

It was nice to not have to repeat himself more than once.

He took another sip of coffee as Blue padded in, snatching up a different mug and downing it in one go before sitting on the opposite side of Sans. Papyrus entered a moment later still toweling his skull off with a tired grin as he thanked Blue, grabbing the third mug and taking a grateful sip. There was a fourth, leading Sans to believe that while Rus wasn’t down here now, he might be before the night was over. Still, he wasn’t there  _ now  _ and again, Sans hated repeating himself. 

Still, it was best to get started, whether Rus was present or not. If he didn’t Blue might actually shank him and the coffee was too good to let grow cold.

“Okay so obviously you knew we were coming, what do you know about the case already?” Sans asked, Papyrus nodding along enthusiastically. Blue took another sip of coffee and waved his hand.

“Oh, only that the precinct wants my brother and I to safeguard a particularly dangerous subject who’s currently being used as a forced prostitute.” Blue looked at him over the rim of his cup, brows raised. Sans shrugged. 

“Then you know most of it. Is your brother joining us soon or?” 

“What, you in a hurry? Panties in a twist? Ropes in a knot?” Rus’ voice drifted from the hall, but when Sans blinked the tall asshat was sitting in the chair next to Blue, mug in hand. There was probably more honey in it than coffee, but Rus drank it just as greedily as the rest of them were, so maybe not.

Now that everyone was present (and maybe he’d give Rus a damn medal just for actually showing up), Sans got into the nitty gritty of the case.

The facts were that Gaster was a problem. Edge was dead. And Red was in a very bad situation and needed some kind of saving ASAP. Blue and Rus looked over the paperwork they’d brought with them, signing the papers saying they’d take Red in and protect him. That he would stay there until he could heal up a bit and testify in court against his shitstain of a brother and the gang he’d once been part in as part of a plea deal. It was unlikely Red wouldn’t face some kind of penalty for his crimes, but being repeatedly raped might do a lot in his favor.

Sans still felt sick thinking about it. The whole situation made his bones feel icky and he knew he couldn’t even imagine how bad off Red really was.

In the end everything was agreed on, the plan was laid, and all that was left to do was contact the informant and run the whole thing by them. The informant had been keeping tabs on Red and his health and general mental wellbeing, which was deteriorating rapidly as far as they were aware. 

Sans sighed, leaning back in his seat exhausted as Papyrus dialed in the number, setting the phone on speaker before laying it in the center of the table. There were a total of three rings, and, as per usual, the phone clicked on with a rough, nasally voice that was heavily edited with a voice modulator that made it much deeper. Deeper than what Sans thought it really would be if they were to speak in person.

“I assume you’ve discussed all the details in question and are now calling to set up a date of extraction?” the voice said, simply and with great authority. Authority Sans felt was undue, but hey they kinda needed the guy so authority it was. 

“Actually we wanted to discuss the plan we’ve come up with on how to get Red out without raising any alarms.” Sans responded. There was silence for a moment, before a long, drawn out, affected sigh sounded through the phone speaker.

“Proceed.” 

Well that was permission enough. With great feeling, Sans and Papyrus went through the plan, again, and waited with baited breath to see if it would be vetoed instantly or not.

“Sounds good. I’ll have my man keep his ear to the ground for the times that Red is alone and the cameras are spotty.” It was not the reaction they were expecting, but it was the one they got. 

Well, that was it. Operation Gummy Bear was a go.

~.~

His arm was broken. That was pretty much all he could think about, laying on the floor of his room, arm cradled to his chest as he coughed up dried flecks of marrow. The monster who’d left him like this had already definitely left, the metal door shut and locked and he was going to finally die.

Red hadn’t thought death was going to be so painful.

His arm was broken, he was coughing up marrow, and he was dying. He’d laugh if he wasn’t in so much pain already, every breath rattling painfully in his chest, every noise and shift of his body making the pain so much worse. Tears started to sting in his sockets, making his already blurred vision even more so bleary. It was beginning to black out around the edges, a sure sign that if he wasn’t helped soon he’d lose consciousness and, eventually, he’d start dusting. 

Maybe that was what Gaster wanted. Maybe he wanted him to die, here, in this filthy place. Something about that made Red angry, but not enough to actually matter. No, he was dead already, no reason to hate the person who’d killed him. 

Maybe he’d finally see Edge again.

He’d just lost consciousness, drifting in and out of lucidity as warm, lithe arms picked him up from the floor and set him on the bed. A fresh spasm of pain went through his arm as they set it, and warm, emerald magic settled over it like a balm. Red looked into their eyes and smiled as much as he was able, only barely recognizing their face in the haze.

“You’re here… you came back fer me…” he whispered, trying to reach up to touch the others face, only to have his hand caught in between their own. 

“Yeah I did.” they answered, a soft smile shining down at him. Red wanted to touch it, wanted to tell them how much he cared about them, how much he loved them, but his mouth wouldn’t work. So, instead, he begged with every bit of magic he had in his soul for them to stay with him, just for a while.

And they did.

~.~

When Red awoke again, they were gone. He was tempted to believe it’d been a dream, except for the fact that his arm was healed and he was lucid enough to notice all the damn blood all over the floor. 

They must have bought all of his time from the past three hours, since it was coming up on 6 in the morning and he’d known it was just past 2 when that first monster had come in.

He needed to clean the mess up as quickly as possible before the next client or he’d be in a hell of a mess himself. So, gathering the rest of his remaining strength, he stood, knees wobbling for a moment, and started rifling through the remnants of his cleaning products. 

It wasn’t long before he was on his knees, scrubbing at the now dried marrow, hoping beyond hope that no one would come for him soon because absolutely no one would want to fuck in a room covered in blood. Well, almost no one anyway.

Once he’d gotten the stubborn stain up, he was exhausted to his core. Red just wanted to sleep away the day, like he’d done all those years ago when they were the top dogs and no one could tell them any different. Oh how far he’d fallen, little brother.

Climbing across the floor and up to his bed, Red laid face down, breathing in the smell of his worn pillow, the one thing Gaster had let him keep from his old life, and only because it was stained all to hell. 

Sighing through tears, Red turned onto his side, curling up tightly. The small skeleton remembering from his half dead state, the promise  _ they’d  _ made him. The promise from the only person who’d ever cared about him, other than his brother.

He could only hope they’d keep it soon.


	3. A beating you won't soon forget

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> warnings for this one, there's graphic violence and beatings, as well as general panic and shady stuff dealing with forced prostitution
> 
> be safe ya'll
> 
> enjoy!

Red was already exhausted when the knock on the door came, his bones trembling with what could be mistaken for pleasure but was really fatigue. His hands shaking as he smoothed down his lacy shirt and posed on the bed with what he hoped was a sultry look. The client would come in at any moment and he’d be thoroughly fucked, leaving after their hour was up. Leaving Red to clean himself up and await the next client to come into his room and the process would continue all over again.

Only when the steel door opened, his faint scratch marks shining in the light, what met his eye-lights was not some hulking furry monster or a dirty looking human but another skeleton. They had white eye-lights, a sly smile on their face and were wearing crisp clean clothes. What was even more shocking, more than their species and more than their clearly high level of hygiene, was the fact that they weren’t looking at him with a look of lust. They were looking at him as if he were something broken they wanted to fix, like a mangy dog or a cat with a leg missing.

It made some old part of himself rise up in anger, because how dare they look at him as if he were broken. The rest of him understood and… well. He _ was _broken. In more than one way.

The new skeleton took a few steps into the room, wincing as the door closed behind them, giving the room around them a once over. 

“Not great digs you got here...” The other’s sharp eye-lights settling on him. “...huh Red?”

Red’s head snapped up, mouth open in shock. No one knew his name when they came here, because anyone that would have known who he was wasn’t allowed in. If they were, he’d have died a long ass time ago.

“Who’re y-you?” he demanded, or as much as his ruined voice would let him. The other snorted, an infuriating smile on his face as he glared at them. 

Every single inch of his bones and soul were screaming that this skeleton needed to leave, needed to get out of here before they got both of them killed. Unfortunately for him, they didn’t seem to be in any sort of hurry.

“Name’s Sans. I’m here to make a deal.”

Red’s soul dropped in his chest, tears of fear springing to his eye sockets as they darted to the different cameras in the room. Sans looked at them as well, still smiling and Red wasn’t sure the guy couldn’t _ not _smile.

“Oh don’t worry about those, they’ve been bugged not to work while I’m in here. And since the guard watching the feed is asleep, I’d say we got… at least another five minutes to talk.”

Red shook his head, absolutely terrified now. They’d find out he’d been seen by… who? A Private eye? A cop? A rival gang member looking to settle a score with Gaster? Red had no idea but he wanted absolutely no part of it. 

“I-I can’t, please leave, you’ll get us b-both killed-”

Sans laughed. It wasn’t a kind sound. “No, I don’t think so.” Stepping forward, he leaned into Red’s space, ignoring the way he flinched. “Now listen, cause we only got three minutes left. I’m here to offer you a deal.”

Red nodded, unable to open his mouth to speak. Sans nodded in return as he continued.

“I’m with a certain... ‘group’ that wants to see your _ brother _put out of commission.” The emphasis on brother was not unnoticed, Red flinching at the reminder. “We want to get you out of here to testify against him and we’ll keep you safe until you’re well enough to do so.” Sans glanced back at the door, the sound of footsteps growing closer. “Think about it. And you might want to look debauched or something when they come in here.”

Red watched as he backed away, mussing up his shirt and letting a bit of color run to his face before he turned to the door. It opened, revealing the guard who was looking a little pale himself, glancing between Red and Sans who was walking past him.

“That was great sweetcheeks, same time next week?” Sans asked, winking back at Red, who’s eyes were still wide open. 

“Uh-uh yeah!” 

Sans chuckled and waved, before disappearing down the hall. The guard watched him leave before turning back to Red with a disgusted sneer. The door closed heavily, leaving Red in the silence once more, until the next client arrived.

Leaving him with nothing but absolute terror to keep him company.

~.~

Sans returned a few times after that, each time bringing with him a new round of fear and panic. Red was terrified Gaster would find out, but each time Sans simply said the same things with the same smarmy tone and sly grin. Red got the distinct feeling Sans wasn’t the guy behind the idea of getting him out, what with how little he seemed to care if Red was bleeding or shifting uncomfortably on his perch. No, he’d simply come in, ask if Red had thought about the deal, listen to Red’s vehement denial and then leave when the guard came.

Of course, he should have known that nothing would escape his _brother’s_ watchful eyes. 

It was after the fifth visit that the dreaded call came. The guard came to Red’s door, dragging him out by the collar before he could even choke out a question. He cowered as they drug him up the stairs to the main compound, up and up and up past jeering monster after jeering monster until he was thrown down at the door of the main study.

Once upon a time this had been Edge’s study, where he’d done most of the planning for their heists. Now it was the den of their estranged brother, someone who no longer considered either of them worthy of licking his boots. 

Red flinched as the guard knocked loudly on the door, Gaster’s scratchy, unpleasant voice coming through and making his anxiety spike. He nearly fought to get away when the guard grabbed him once more, the tightening hold around his collar making him remember that it would only be worse if he tried.

He kept his eyes down even as the guard dropped him at Gaster’s feet, refusing to look up even as the guard left. Leaving Red and his worst enemy alone. 

“Well, Red, I think you know why you’re here, don’t you?” Gaster asked, his voice dripping with fake concern. Red shook his head, prepared for the boot that came crashing into his ribcage.

“No, no, I think you do. What with that little stunt with your friend? You’re planning something, what. Is. It.” Each word was punctuated with a kick that had Red crying out, his soul trembling in his chest from the pain of his ribs cracking. 

Still, he shook his head, unwilling to give anything to the monster who’d killed his real brother. 

Gaster sighed, stepping away for a moment before the sound of something swishing through the air made Red wince in fear, then steel himself.

“I didn’t want to resort to this Red, but you’ve left me no choice.”

Red turned, glaring with all the courage he could muster up at the monster who’d ruined his life, his chance at happiness and everything good he’d ever had. 

“Fuckin’ do it...”

~.~

As Red lay on his bed, bones immovable from the amount of sheer pain and the burn of the healing cracks and breaks, he did not let himself cry. Sure he had cried when Gaster had used the blunt end of a bone to beat the absolute shit out of him, who wouldn’t have, but now that it was over and Gaster was watching through the cameras? He would not cry.

He’d decided, as soon as he emerged from the fog of pain into coherent thought, that the next time Sans came he was going to deck him in his smug ass face.

Then he’d agree to his terms and leave this shithole forever. Even if he had to beg to do it.


	4. Meeting Up

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ooof, okay, new chapter!! Happy times :D (sorta....)
> 
> sorry for any glaring mistakes, my usual beta is having Serious Internet Problems lol (thanks again nurse!!)
> 
> tags for: abuse, talk of physical abuse, scars, blood, mention of bodily fluids, mystery, rescue!!
> 
> enjoy :D

The world around him spun in swirls of color and noise, every touch like fire to his bones. Red knew the collar around his throat, the one keeping him from using any magic, was turned up to max to ensure a slow, painfully psychedelic death. Skeletons ran on magic, it was what kept their bodies from falling apart. Now that the collar originally meant to simply subdue his magic was turned all the way up, he could barely move. He simply laid on his bed, stripped of sheets and blankets; leaving only the bare, scratchy mattress. It made the burning of his bones and joints all the more inflamed, but it wasn’t like he could do anything about it. Even the simple act of rolling onto the floor was beyond him now.

Though even if he did, it was likely that would be the end.

So of course when the door opened after what had to have been days of silent torture, a tall almost familiar skeleton with flat teeth walking inside, a glint in their eyes, Red could have actually bawled. Of course Gaster would send one last stab in the back, one last thorn in his riddled side. 

But, as the skeleton moved closer, they frowned. “Can you speak?”

Red could do little more than stare at the skeleton with blurred, nearly extinguished eye-lights. They glanced around the room, then back at the door, before reaching into their pocket and speaking quietly into a small… mic? Before moving forward and, unbelievingly, scooping him up and heading for the door. 

Red wanted to ask what the hell was going on, who this skeleton was and what the hell he wanted, but he simply opened the door with a loud creak and headed down the… empty hall? Where were the guards?

As they entered the hall Red couldn’t help but glance at the nearest camera, certain that an alarm would start blaring, before the entire hall went dark. Leaving the only light coming from the skeletons now apparent eye-lights, white pips that lit up the smile on his face. Red wanted to look away, wanted to jump out of his arms and fight his way out of this wretched place while no one was here, but he couldn’t even blink his distress.

The skeleton walked the hallways with a strange familiarity; Red would have been lost by now, in this maze of a building. But before he knew it, they were outside under the stars, the disgusting smells that permeated the whorehouse left behind as Red took his first real breath of air in what had to have been years. The tall skeleton grinned down at him as the tears started forming against his will, the smile soft and kind. Red didn’t want to believe it, didn’t want to think that this random skeleton monster really cared what he was feeling, but as he started sobbing he realized he didn’t care.

He recognized Sans in the car, which made this whole thing make a little more sense. There were whispered words passed back and forth as they pulled out of the back alley and onto the main streets of Ebott, stuff like “Suppression Collar” and “Guilty”. He tried not to let himself think too much, the tears streaming down his face more of a distraction than usual. 

He didn’t recognize the neighborhood they pulled into; he’d lost some time. They were in one of the outer towns surrounding Ebott, nondescript and wholly unimpressive. The apartment they stopped in front of was plain, perfect for hiding in. The tall, lithe skeleton who’d broken him out of the whorehouse hopped out of the car and came around, Red’s instincts flaring as he reached to pick him back up, but the collar made it impossible to do anything about it. 

He was scooped up again, dragged gently out of the back seat and carried swiftly up the walk and into the apartment where Sans was already waiting.

Sans was watching him warily as the other skeleton set him on the couch. “You really got messed up, huh?”

Red would have rolled his eyes. His bones were still healing, the burn of the foreign green magic dulled to a faint thrum. But the scars and lines of the breaks were more than obvious.

The other skeleton returned, a smile still firmly on his face as he set down a few tools that Red could only assume were for cracking the lock on the collar. He could only sit and wait while the skeleton, Papyrus he found out after a brief conversation between him and Sans, talked and worked on the collar.

“Now Red, I know you’re very confused because Sans was not able to give you all of the details on why we were to extract you. Because our timetable was moved up, dire circumstances non withholding, we need to explain exactly  _ who  _ we are and what we need from  _ you _ .”

Red would have nodded, but instead used what little magic he had access to after Papyrus had fiddled with the collar for a bit to make his eyelights flash, the closest he could come to recognition. 

Papyrus smiled. “Good! Now onto the explanations. We are private detectives that have been working in tandem with the Ebott Central Police Division in order to take down you and your brother.” 

Red’s eyes narrowed, but Papyrus waved him off.

“We had nothing to do with the bastard currently in charge  _ killing  _ your brother. Gaster has become an even worse problem than you or Edge ever was, and we’d much like to take him down by any means necessary, within what’s in the law, you get me?” Papyrus looked him in the eye, Red seeing something old and unforgiving within them. He nodded, the motion small and feeble, but still there. 

“Good!” And with that Papyrus went into a full explanation about how Red would, upon agreeing to testify against his old gang and ex family member, be put under witness protection. They apparently had some sort of safe house they’d be putting him in, with two friends of theirs that had “extremely good records” in keeping people safe.

Red doubted he’d make it a week. But what other choice did he have? Being returned to Gaster, or being left on the streets, meant nothing but a slow, painful death.

Finally the collar popped off with a hiss, Red’s magic finally allowing enough movement for him to rub at his throat. Glancing up at Papyrus who was grinning down at him, and to Sans who hadn’t said a word other than glaring at him, he shrugged.

“C’n I ‘ave a glass a water first?”

~.~

Papyrus watched as Red finally succumbed to the call of sleep, the little guy covered in scars, most of them looking both new and poorly healed. It was a wonder he wasn’t mostly unconscious, what with the foreign magic Papyrus could sense “healing” the breaks. He sat next to Sans, the two of them watching their charge until the morning came and they could carefully move Red to the actual safe house. 

“So who turned the lights out?” Sans finally asked, staring straight at Red. Papyrus knew the look in his eyes intimately, knew that Sans wasn’t happy they were already dealing with Red. That their timetable had been moved up, before they could even gather enough information to know if Red would actually work with them, or if he’d book it out of town and they’d be without a lead again. Papyrus tried not to judge his brother for being so obtuse. It was difficult, but he had a lot of practice.

“I haven’t the slightest idea. I thought perhaps it was you, seeing as how all the guards were “off duty” as well.” Papyrus said, Sans turning to stare at him.

“They were, huh?”

Papyrus nodded. Sans glanced back at Red, then stood, cracking his back with a loud pop before shrugging into his coat. “I’ll go get sleeping beauty some food. Don’t let him leave.” Then Sans was gone and Papyrus was left, exasperated because really? Of course he wasn’t letting Red go anywhere… it wasn’t like Red  _ could  _ go anywhere, what with the tracker they’d put on the coat they’d given him. They obviously couldn’t leave him in those rags he’d been in, covered in marrow and who knew what other fluids.

No, this was better for Red. And who knows, maybe some time with Blue and Rus would do him some good. 

**Author's Note:**

> if you enjoyed, please consider leaving a comment ^^
> 
> if you screamed in agony, please consider leaving a comment ^^


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